Ghosts of the Past
by Shawn Scialo
Summary: (Classic Series) Second Season Premiere. Holocaust anniversary as Galactica approaches strange Nebula.
1. Default Chapter

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SEASON TWO EPISODE 1 (SEASON PREMIERE) GHOSTS OF THE PAST Written By: Shawn L. Scialo  
  
PREVIEW:  
Two months after the events of "The Hand of God", the weary survivors of the colonies approach the first anniversary of the cylon holocaust that destroyed the 12 planets of mankind. As the Galactica approaches a strange nebula, Adama is under intense scrutiny for his "illegal" release of the traitor, Baltar. Meanwhile, Starbuck announces his intentions of marrying Cassie to Apollo while the two are on a deep space probe. The two warriors then stumble upon a planet which may hold a secret to the whereabouts of Earth. Back on the Galactica, the crew is haunted by dreams or visions of loved ones long gone. A mysterious nebula seems to hold the answers.  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
Two months removed from receiving their second gold cluster awards, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a colonial warrior, Captain Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck guided their vipers through the cosmos on a deep probe for the battlestar Galactica. Their first gold clusters had been awarded to them shortly after they guided the rag-tag colonial fleet through the dangerous Nova of Madigon. Apollo had volunteered himself along with Starbuck and Boomer, to clear a minefield that blocked the colonial fleet's path to the fuel rich planet of Carillon. Shortly thereafter, the colonials were betrayed by the devious Ovions who had sold them out to the cylons. Several sectons after the battle of Carillon had been won; commander Adama awarded the three brave warriors their promised military award in a private ceremony in his chambers. Neither Boomer, Starbuck, nor Apollo wanted an elaborate ceremony at a time when so many were still suffering in their fleet.  
Now, things had changed. It was true, of course, that the human survivors still lived in cramped quarters with meager rations, but they had gotten over the initial shock of losing everything. Of losing the colonies. They had begun to forge lives for themselves on the small, metal worlds of the colonial fleet. With the support and encouragement of their president and commander, Adama, the people of the fleet once again attended sporting events, concerts, and even indulged themselves in ceremony.  
That is why when the most improbable of plans actually worked, Starbuck and Apollo being able to sneak aboard a cylon basetar and destroy its scanners, Adama and the council of twelve insisted on an elaborate celebration to be witnessed by every man, woman and child in the fleet. The ruling body of the colonials wanted their people to cheer and feel a part of the victory. The ceremony itself was held in the Galactica's large shuttle bay, the same one where just sectons earlier, the fleet had witnessed the promotion of the late commander Kronos.  
Inter-fleet broadcasting carried the ceremony live so that everyone in the fleet could take part in the celebration. Entire families gathered in front of every available video monitor to witness their two most heroic defenders of freedom, Apollo and Starbuck, receive their second gold clusters in less than a yahren. Of course, Apollo was quite embarrassed by all the attention, but Starbuck soaked it up. Apollo's acceptance speech was short and to the point. Starbucks' took up half a centar and was interrupted several times by hecklers in the audience. Each time he was interrupted, Starbuck would point out the heckler and tell an embarrassing little story about them. Soon after the ceremony, Boomer, Jolly and Greenbean were nowhere to be found. They had left the party, completely mortified by the quick witted Starbuck.  
As the three hecklers left the bay, someone heard Boomer say, "Fellas....we've just been Starbucked!"  
  
"Starbuck, we'll you just spit it out? I haven't seen you fidget like this since ..."  
"Apollo, what's wrong?" asked a perplexed Starbuck.  
Apollo's thoughts had drifted back to the last time he had witnessed the usually unflappable lieutenant stammer and fidget like a daggit on a sunspot. It was the day he had announced his plans to seal Serina, the beautiful newswoman from Caprica. Starbuck had later admitted to Apollo that he was somewhat jealous. It had been a touching moment between the two best friends. Now, it reminded Apollo of his late wife. He tried to choke back the growing feelings of dread and hurt and concentrate on his friend in the viper not far from his own.  
"Apollo?"  
"I'm fine. I was just thinking back to the last time I had to deal with a certain nervous and unsettled lieutenant. Do you have something you want to tell me, Starbuck? You haven't been able to formulate a complete sentence since we left the Galactica", Apollo deadpanned.  
"Yeah", sighed Starbuck. "Well, buddy, I've made a really big decision and I felt you should be the first to know."  
"Well, spit it out!"  
"I've decided to ask Cassiopeia to marry me."  
Apollo was stunned. Starbuck married? Impossible. Just a secton ago, Apollo had had to pull the oversexed lieutenant away from a very willing Brie at the bar of the officers' lounge. And just a couple of days before that, Starbuck had been really touchy feely with lieutenant Dietra after a triad match. What could have possibly happened for him to have such a change of heart overnight?  
"Starbuck, is Cassie..."  
"Pregnant?! No, of course not!", exclaimed Starbuck.  
"I'm sorry, pal. I just didn't see this coming. If it's what you really want, then of course I'm happy for you."  
"Gee, thanks", said a slightly agitated Starbuck.  
"C'mon, Starbuck! In the last month alone, you've tried to mate with half the females on the Galactica! And, I would be shocked if none of that hasn't found its way to Cassies' ears."  
"I...I w-was just... y'know...sowing my oats."  
Apollo burst out laughing. Starbuck looked over at his friend's fighter and could see him shaking his head from side to side in the cockpit.  
"Look", Starbuck continued. "I've been doing a lot of soul searching the last few sectons and I've come to the conclusion that Cassie is the best thing for me. And, I think I'm the best thing for her too. I mean if I wait until we find Earth to get sealed, I could be an old man."  
Apollo's' smile faded away now. The thought of meandering through the universe and never finding a safe haven for their people was a depressing but realistic concern for all colonials. Apollo blinked himself out of that thought but the next thing that hit him made him feel even worse.  
"What about Athena, Starbuck?"  
Starbuck hated talking with Apollo about his relationship with his little sister. It had always made him uncomfortable. While it was true that Starbuck had once felt something like love for Athena, the fire had been completely stamped out just after the destruction of the colonies. Athena had made it clear that she didn't have time for a relationship, especially with the likes of Starbuck, when so much was uncertain now in all of their lives. Starbuck reacted spitefully when he made love to Cassie in a launch tube so soon after his breakup with Athena. Of course, Athena had the last laugh there when she released the steam purge on the hot and bothered lieutenant. He couldn't sit without pain from those burns for days.  
Starbuck knew that Athena would be back, though. The confident, cigar chomping warrior knew her attraction to him was too intense. He also knew she hated him for that.  
"Apollo, I'll always feel something very special for your sister. But, it just wasn't meant to be. Athena's too career oriented and headstrong for me. You know that."  
"Just break it to her gently, ok? No matter what she says, I know she still loves you", said Apollo.  
Apollo's' last statement makes Starbuck think for a centon. He smiles a mischievous grin, then shakes his head to wipe it from his face.  
"Hey, buddy, I've loved a lot of women in my life. You know that. But , I can honestly say that I've only been in love with three. Three very special, beautiful women", says Starbuck as the grin once again appears on his face.  
Apollo smiled, "Cassie, Athena, and..."  
"Aurora", finished Starbuck.  
After a long moment, Apollo cleared his throat. He had been thinking of his own brief engagement to Serina.  
"Starbuck, congratulations. I really mean it. I know you love Cassie", said a somber captain Apollo.  
Inside his cockpit, Starbuck looked over at Apollo's viper to see him giving the thumbs up sign.  
  
BLIP!  
  
"Apollo?"  
"I see it. Scanner detects massive life form readings on planetoid dead ahead."  
"There's something else, captain. Some sort of high energy yielding substance", reported Starbuck.  
"Well, we're here to look. Let's go!", said Apollo as both colonial warriors kicked in their turbos and sped towards the alien planet.  
  
Isabella, the newest reporter on the IFB staff, had just finished her report about the upcoming observance of the one yahren anniversary of the holocaust. Throughout the fleet, people are discussing her observations with family, friends and strangers alike. It had become painfully obvious over the past several centars that the entire population was feeling anxiety and incredible sadness about the infamous date that was quickly approaching. Even with the last cylon encounter occurring only 2 months ago, the majority of the fleet wanted to stop their journey and settle on the next habitable planet. Many are simply tired of trudging through space and living in horrible conditions with no end in sight. These people of the fleet live in a constant state of fear. When is the next cylon attack coming? Will we survive it? Where is the fleets' next fuel source? Can we maintain our food supply? These are the thoughts that weigh heavily on the minds of the colonial people.  
Another subject touched on by Interfleet Broadcastings' beautiful brunette was also causing a stir throughout the fleet. Commander Adama had struck a deal with the traitor of all humans, Baltar, in order to supply Apollo and Starbuck with the necessary intelligence to destroy the cylon basestar. In return, Adama had agreed to release the human abode on the next habitable planet. He even promised Baltar short range communications.  
  
Before anyone in the fleet knew what had happened, Baltar was set free on a desolate world with rations and an ancient short wave communications device. The people of the fleet were furious. Even the staunchest of Adama supporters questioned the commander's decision and his misuse of power. This led to a formal board of inquiry conducting an investigation into the commanders legal right to make such a decision and maybe more importantly, to decide if it was indeed time to end martial law.  
  
A group led by Sire Uri, the former council member who had resigned after the battle of Carillon, had pressed formal charges against the commander. Once again commander Adama, the man responsible for saving and organizing this rag tag fleet, was being asked to prove his worthiness to lead. Sire Uri had been the first to challenge Adama's leadership when they were still in colonial space. His plans of disarmament failed at Carillon and only Adama's sixth sense and battle savvy had saved the newly formed fleet.  
Later, Adama had found himself in a popularity contest with the living legend, Commander Cain. Many of the brave, yet desperate colonists, believed the military genius of Cain would suit their perilous journey better than the religious zeal of Adama. Unfortunately, Cain and the battlestar Pegasus were apparently lost at the battle of Gamoray.  
Soon after that episode, the mysterious count Iblis had appeared and nearly stolen control of the fleet away from Adama by performing nothing short of miracles to prove his good intentions. One of those miracles had been bringing count Baltar to his knees and to justice. When Iblis disappeared, many in the fleet cried foul. Conspiracy theorists had a field day with the councils' published reports on the incident. Now, the Baltar incident seemed to be the last straw with Adama's detractors. A vote was to occur soon to decide the future government of the colonial fleet.  
To this point in time, the fleet had been split almost perfectly. On one side were the followers of the Koboliana who sided with Adama and his quest for Earth. On the other, was a group that now called themselves the realists. They believed in dealing with the facts. They strongly opposed the search for a planet of myth, they wanted an end to martial law, and they wanted to settle a planet to raise their children. In short, a civil war was brewing inside the colonial fleet.  
  
The appearance of Isabella's' first guest stunned many viewers throughout the fleet while angering others. It was commander Adama.  
"Commander Adama, thank you so much for this interview", gushed Isabella.  
The commander smiled and replied, " The pleasure is all mine. I hope I can quell some of our peoples' concerns and misconceptions of their government... and of me."  
Just off camera, Isabella's' next guest, Uri, is watching with a keen eye on Adama.  
"Commander, what are your feelings as we approach this horrible anniversary, the first anniversary of the cylon invasion of the colonies and the holocaust that followed?"  
"Well, like everyone else in our fleet, I feel deep sorrow for the loss of the populations of our twelve worlds and our home planets themselves. Everyone in our fleet experienced loss that horrible day. I lost my youngest son, Zac and my beautiful wife, Illya."  
"You have stated that from this yahren on, you would like this day of infamy to be remembered and honored as a holiday?", asked a grim faced Isabella.  
"Yes, I would. While I believe we should honor the victims of the holocaust, I also believe we should celebrate with a feast of thanksgiving every yahren on that date. It should be a celebration of life for those that survive on this fleet. We have all been given a second chance and should honor our fallen loved ones by making the most of it. We will re- seed our civilization."  
"On Earth?"  
In the shadows, Uri smiles.  
"Yes, Isabella. I believe it is our destiny to find the thirteenth tribe and I believe they are on Earth."  
"Why Earth?", asked Isabella sincerely.  
Throughout the fleet, non believers shake their heads in support of the reporter's question.  
"Well, I believe I have answered this question before but--"  
"If you are referring to the interview conducted by your late daughter in law, many of us never saw it. Also, some of Serina's work was lost forever when she was struck down."  
Without being invited to do so, Sire Uri sits down in the chair right next to Adama's.  
"Sire Uri?", said a surprised Isabella.  
"I'm sorry, Isabella, but I just couldn't wait for my turn. I would also like to hear Adama's response to your question. Especially since his last interview on the subject was conducted on the surface of yet another mythical planet by his sons' wife", sneered Uri.  
"Uri, Kobol is as real as you or I. An entire squadron of our warriors landed on the planet and saw it with their own eyes!", lamented an angry Adama.  
"I believe they were substitute warriors, were they not? Very inexperienced. How could they truly understand what they were seeing? ", said Uri smugly.  
Isabella interrupted, "With all due respect Sire Uri, the evidence does seem to point to some sort of human civilization once inhabiting that planet. Although, commander, I'm sure you are aware of a growing number of conspiracy theorists in our fleet who believe the Kobol landing was a hoax."  
Adama felt like this was going to get him nowhere with the people of the fleet. If anything, he was digging himself a deeper hole.  
"Utterly preposterous. But, back to your previous question. You asked why Earth. The book of the word foretold that the tribes of humanity would reunite on the green, white and lush landscape of Earth."  
"You are referring to brief passages in the Koboliana. But, doesn't the legend of the 13th colony actually come from Garden of Earth?", suggested the young reporter.  
"A children's fable", added Uri.  
Adama paused for a moment, then continued, "I recently accessed the Galactica's historical vault and uncovered some interesting, and I'm sure forgotten , evidence which points to the existence of a 13th tribe. Early on in the war against the cylons, the legendary commander Ares and his crew of the battlestar Poseidon were swept up in a magnetic sea much like the one we stumbled across some time ago. Like us, the Poseidon stumbled upon our lost mother world, Kobol. However, unlike us, the planet commander Ares discovered was not dead and dormant. Ares and his crew actually met the thirteenth tribe and saw them off on their journey to Earth. I am making these documents public now. They will be uploaded to every console in the fleet."  
Throughout the fleet, both rejoicing and angry contempt flood through the human population.  
Isabella asked," This is very interesting, sir. But, I am somewhat of a student of history myself and if my memory serves, didn't the colonial government denounce the Poseidon's' story as blasphemy?"  
"They had been brainwashed", suggested Uri.  
"That crew of that great ship saved our homelands on more than one occasion. Denouncing them would be blasphemy", said the commander as he stood up. " I will supply the IFB with Serina's uncut interview. It will have the answers you seek."  
"Commander, one more question. Can you comment on the upcoming trial?", asked Isabella.  
"I'm sorry. I cannot comment until after tribunal. I will simply say that these are desperate times we live in and sometimes desperate measures are required", Adama smiled weakly.  
  
On the freighter, Infinity, a man shouts out," That's it?! What a phony!"  
Another shouts back, "Adama is the savior!"  
Once again, of late, a fight based on political party association breaks out among citizens of the fleet.  
  
Young Boxey tosses and turns in his bed. He is reliving the night the cylons attacked on Caprica for the second sleep period in a row. The boy whines aloud as his pet daggit is once again crushed beneath a fallen column. Seeing the daggits' blood-soaked fur between two pillars, Boxey screams. He sits up suddenly and rips the covers off. As he rubs his eyes and wipes away the tears, he hears what he believes to be his auntie Athena's voice. He immediately begins to feel better and tries to calm himself.  
"There there, little one. It was just a bad dream."  
Boxey turns to embrace his aunt but what he sees shocks him. He gasps and scurries to the other side of the bed and on to the floor. Slowly, he regains enough strength, not to mention curiosity, to peak over the top of the bed.  
"My....you act like you've just seen a ghost? Is that anyway to treat your mother?", asked Serina.  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
The planet that Apollo and Starbuck now stood on certainly lived up to their vipers computon readouts. It was a jungle world with all kinds of animal species scurrying about. To be safe, they both carried emergency supply packs and their helmets on their backs.  
As the two warriors made their way through the dense brush, following their portable scanners signal, a twig snapped some distance away.  
"Shhhhh! Did you hear that?", whispered Apollo. Starbuck paused a moment, "I don't hear a thing."  
"That's just it. Suddenly, the animals in this forest have gone completely silent. Plus, I thought I heard a branch being broken."  
  
"Apollo, l-lets' just keep moving. Ok?", Starbuck said as he nervously peered at the dense jungle around them.  
They continued on for several centons without incident and appeared to be approaching a large clearing .  
The fact that they were walking in a breathable atmosphere was noteworthy in itself, not to mention that their scanners had detected some sort of energy source. The colonial fleet had not come across a planet capable of supporting life in quite some time. In fact, the last time a colonial had set foot on an M- class planet was when Apollo had been captured on the planet Terra.  
Since then, the fleet had landed on several unremarkable planets where the warriors had to wear their helmets with the face shield and glove sealers activated. These planets served as no more than minimal fuel suppliers.  
Finding this planet could answer two important questions currently being asked throughout the fleet. Where is our next fuel supply going to come from and where the next clue to proving the existence of Earth is and where it might be. Not to mention, many others in the fleet beginning to boldly state that they would settle on the next hospitable world, period.  
As Starbuck approached the large clearing that they knew must be ahead due to the absence of trees over head and the sun shining through, he thought of the last "discussion" he had with Apollo about the possibility of finding Earth. As everyone knew, when discussing a controversial subject with Apollo, you had to be ready for his legendary temper. Starbuck had made the mistake of suggesting to Apollo that maybe the fleet should think about settling the next uninhabited M-class world. The discussion had ended with Apollo exiting the room after shouting that they all should trust his fathers' judgment and continue their search for Earth. After Apollo had left the room, Starbuck had muttered to no one in particular that they had not encountered any more clues to Earths' existence or location in quiet some time. The further out in space they went, the fewer signs of human life they encountered.  
  
As Starbuck stepped into the clearing, he immediately saw something that took his breath away. Not far away stood several structures that appeared to be primitive buildings. They were made of wood and straw and did not appear to be very sturdy but they had clearly been made by an intelligent species. By the looks of them from this distance, Starbuck guessed they were probably of some humanoid design. He glanced at Apollo who was clearly thinking the same thing. Simultaneously, they both drew their weapons.  
"Lets' go", said Apollo.  
  
What the warriors found several centons later was a deserted village. Primitive tools, bowls and eating utensils lay strewn about. Then, a grisly discovery inside a large hut. Apollo and Starbuck both gasped as they looked over a room full of skeletons. Clearly, human skeletons.  
"Well, there's' your clue", sighed Starbuck.  
Apollo knew exactly what his lifelong friend was referring to and he cracked a weak smile.  
"How long do you think they've been here?", asked Starbuck.  
"Not long, actually. I'd say this happened within the last few yahrens", answered Apollo as he studied his portable scanner.  
Starbuck took a closer look at the skeletal remains nearest him.  
"The bones are almost perfectly preserved. No residue of any kind."  
Apollo scowled at Starbucks' last observation.  
"What?", Starbuck asked.  
Apollo took a closer look at the skeleton himself. He passed the scanner over it several times before speaking again.  
"Starbuck, I think these people were eaten alive!"  
"Eaten?!", exclaimed Starbuck.  
"Maybe a carnivore or maybe...put your helmet on!", ordered Apollo.  
Starbuck hurriedly complied while asking," What?! What is it?!"  
"This could be the work of some kind of plague or disease, Starbuck!"  
"Scanner said the atmosphere was safe."  
"You wanna trust the scanner?"  
"Nope!", said Starbuck as he activated the face shield on his helmet.  
  
As the invisible force shield activated on the warriors helmets, so did their pressure suits underneath their uniforms. The material of the g- force suits seemed to grow and envelope their hands like skintight gloves.  
"Lets' keep going", said Apollo. "We'll find the source of that fuel reading and get the frak out of here."  
  
"I'm with you, buddy. This place is starting to give me the creeps."  
  
Tigh watches helplessly as he is drawn further and further along an alien landscape. It is a barren world with violent storms tearing at the terrain ahead. Somehow, he is unaffected. With the force of the winds swirling around him, he should be airborne, but he is not. He continues to walk calmly towards his goal. A humanoid creature, possibly a man, lies on its side with its' back to him. Then, something else appears. A glare off of a helmet. Slowly, a red light strobes menacingly from side to side. Then, a large, black gloved hand turns the still body over.  
"Baltar!!!"  
"Colonel? Colonel, are you ok?", asked a startled Omega.  
Tigh realizes he is back on the galactica bridge. The entire bridge crew is staring at him in bewilderment.  
"Get back to work!", orders the embarrassed colonel.  
Quickly, the members of the bridge crew comply. They all know better than to incur the wrath of their colonel.  
"Colonel, are you sure you're ok?", Omega asked.  
"Yes, I'm fine. What do you have to report, Omega?"  
"We're approaching a large nebula which usually wouldn't be newsworthy except that it wasn't there a centar ago."  
"What?!"  
"It's like it just appeared out of nowhere. Although, there could be some interference that was hindering our scans", suggested Omega.  
"Interference?", asked Tigh as he takes the report out of Omega's hand.  
"These readouts don't seem to make any sense. There are transmissions, of some sort, coming out of that nebula but they are incoherent at best."  
"Sir, there's something else", interrupted Omega. "Our long range patrol of Captain Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck is now overdue."  
"What else is new with those two? I would be shocked if they ever reported back on time", sneered Tigh.  
"But sir, our last reading on their position puts them somewhere within that nebula."  
"Omega, get the commander up here at once!", exclaimed a very concerned Tigh.  
"Yes, sir!", replied Omega  
As Omega passes her station, Rigel quickly puts away the holo of her parents.  
Omega turns to see his lover trying to hide the fact that she has been crying.  
"Honey, you have to stop doing this to yourself. God, this one yahren anniversary has sent everyone over the edge", said Omega.  
Rigel wiped away her last tear and whispered," And you have to stop calling me honey when we are on duty! Nobody is supposed to know about us!"  
"Why not? I want to scream in front of the whole fleet and the commander that I love Rigel."  
"You do?", smiled Rigel.  
"Yes, I do. Listen, I can't talk now. But, we will talk about this later."  
  
"Boxey! Boxey! It's ok! It's your aunt Athena! You were just having a bad dream", Athena exclaimed as she held her nephew close.  
"A-Athena?", the boy sobbed. "Where did mother go?"  
"Boxey, Serina is gone. Remember? It was just a dream", Athena said as she stroked Boxey's hair.  
CRASH!  
Startled, both Athena and Boxey gasp and look towards the sound of the loud thud on the other side of the room. Athena gets up from Boxeys' bed slowly and makes her way to the wall unit on the other side of the compartment. Behind a chair, she sees a large holo unit that had fallen from the top shelf. She picks it up and for some reason is compelled to push the activate button. Immediately, a large 3-D hologram of Serina appears.  
"Boxey, you are my gift from the gods. I love you so much, son. Always remember that. See you soon", said the holo of Serina.  
Athena felt the hair on the back of her neck tingling. She had seen this message before. Boxey and Apollo had dozens of holo recordings of Serina but what were the chances that this particular message would play at this particular moment. It was so eerie thought Athena.  
"Mama's coming back!", Boxey suddenly exclaimed.  
"Boxey, I'm sorry, but your mother isn't coming back. I think you were probably having another one of your nightmares about the attack on Caprica. Maybe, when you woke up and shouted, the holo was activated and you thought you were seeing your mother."  
  
"You mean it was just a picture?"  
"I'm afraid so", sighed a not so convinced Athena.  
Once again, Athena took the boy in her arms.  
"I miss her so much, aunt Athena", sobbed Boxey.  
"I know you do, sweetheart. We all do. Especially, your father."  
  
Boxey pulled back a bit from his embrace with Athena.  
"When is my dad going to be back?"  
"He's on deep probe but I'm sure he'll be back real soon."  
The door to Boxeys' compartment opened, and for a brief moment, Athena thought it would be Apollo walking through the door. Instead, Muffit Two, the mechanical daggitt bounded into the room and onto Boxey's bed.  
"Muffey!", Boxey shouted with glee.  
Athena smiled and thought that it was just as well that Muffey came to save the day. The daggitt was the only other thing that could cheer boxey up besides Apollo.  
  
Cassiopeia smiled and handed the latest batch of reports to Dr. Salik. It had been a long and eventful work period and Cassie was looking forward to getting out of her nurses' uniform and into something more comfortable. Preferably, something to the likening of a certain dashing blue squadron lieutenant.  
"What is going on with all of these people?", asked a perplexed Salik.  
"It must be the holocaust anniversary. It's overwhelming everyone's' thoughts, conscious and subconscious", suggested Cassie.  
"Yes. But, 56 new cases? Sightings of ghosts? Has everyone gone mad? Because, according to my tests, all of these people are in perfect health", said an exhausted Salik. " There's no common denominator. They're from different ships, different tribes, ages, sex...I'm at a loss."  
"Well, I know I've had a pretty bad case of the blues myself. I think so much has happened over the past yahren, that none of us has had any time to think about the holocaust. All of those people we had to leave behind to be slaughtered by the cylons? I mean, a yahren ago, I was partying on the streets of Gemon. It's really hard to deal with the fact that the colonies are gone. Forever", sighed Cassiopeia.  
Salik paused to think of his own loved ones that had been lost on Caprica. He had always hoped that they had met a quick end and didn't have to suffer.  
"Cassie, your shift was over a centar ago. Go and get some rest. We'll be fine here", said Salik softly.  
"You don't have to tell me twice. See you tomorrow, doctor."  
Cassie left the medical center and headed towards her compartment with a little more energy in her step. Starbuck should be back from patrol by now and he had promised her an awfully sweet reunion. He had been acting strangely the past few days and she definitely got the feeling that he was up to something.  
"I wonder what you're doing right now", said Cassie as she laughed aloud.  
  
"Apollo! They're right behind us!!! I-I don't think we're gonna make it", shouted an out of breath Starbuck.  
"Head for that large hut at the end of the alley!", Apollo shouted back.  
Out of nowhere, the duo had been attacked by a group of large simian like bipeds. The warriors had tried to scare them off with a laser volley, but they kept coming. The two warriors had no choice but to blast the aliens apart. This did not seem to slow the attack, though, as more and more animals continued to appear out of the forest.  
Starbuck reached the dwelling first and forced open the door. Hiding behind the door, he laid down cover fire for the fleeing Apollo. The captain dove through the door just as one of the large animals was about to take a bite out of him. Starbuck shot the beast at point blank range and it fell harmlessly at his feet. Quickly, he closed the door behind him while Apollo gathered items to jam the door shut. As they worked feverishly to barricade themselves in, they could see the animals tearing away the flesh of their fallen comrade.  
"Cannibals", gasped Starbuck as they finished their makeshift blockade.  
Both warriors took a moment to catch their breath before speaking again.  
"Well, I guess we know what happened to the natives", sneered Starbuck.  
"Maybe", replied the always cynical Apollo.  
Apollo took off his backpack and knelt down as he opened it, spilling many of its' contents onto the floor.  
"What are you doing?", asked Starbuck.  
Apollo did not answer until he found the small device he was looking for. He stood up and waved it in front of his friend.  
"Now, why didn't I think of that? I guess that's why you're the captain", smiled Starbuck.  
  
On the other side of the forest, two colonial vipers' engines sprang to life. Small critters that had been near the craft, leapt away as fast as they could. Inside the cockpits, nav-computers activated as the joysticks and pedals slowly began to move. With a sudden surge, the vipers rocketed away.  
  
"They'll be here in a centon", reported Apollo as he skillfully brought the vipers in on remote control.  
"Hold it", said Starbuck on the other side of the room. "What do you make of this?"  
Apollo walked over to the large container that Starbuck was pointing to, all the while, piloting the vipers towards their position. Starbuck opened the chest and dust sprang out and all over the two warriors. Coughing, they waved the dust away to find a chest full of what appeared to be scrolls. Starbuck opened one and studied it intensely.  
"I can't read any of it but it appears to have been written by a human", said an excited Starbuck as he pointed out several drawings of what appeared to be human beings.  
"It looks an awful lot like the writings that were in the tombs of Kobol", said Apollo as he exchanged glances with Starbuck.  
BEEP  
"The vipers are on final approach", Apollo said as he returned his attention to the remote scanner in his hand.  
Meanwhile, Starbuck gazed up at a piece of metal that had caught his eye. Pushing past debris, he approached a pedestal that seemed to be displaying something.  
"Apollo, what do you think this dwelling was used for?"  
Apollo looked around and then back at the pedestal where Starbuck stood and said," My guess would be a church of some kind. The layout of the room seems to be designed to honor that object on the pedestal behind you."  
"Yeah", said Starbuck as he wiped away layers of grime and dirt on the large object sitting atop the pedestal.  
  
Outside, the vipers landed without incident. Finally, something had scared the simians as they fled back into the jungle.  
"Let's go, Starbuck! The coast is clear now but I don't know how long it will last!"  
"Wait! Apollo, look at this! It appears to be some sort of machine."  
"Looks like an ancient computer", suggested Apollo.  
"Yeah, but from the looks of this village, these people wouldn't have that sort of technology", said Starbuck.  
"So, it must be from somewhere else?"  
"Or someone else", Starbuck said.  
"Ok. We take it with us! It and the chest of scrolls. Now, lets' move!", ordered Apollo.  
  
Just as the warriors were about to leave the safety of the hut, they noticed the animals were beginning to return.  
"Hang on", said Apollo as he flipped a switch on the remote.  
Instantly, both vipers' turbo lasers began to fire as their engines sprang to life again. The lasers strafed a large number of the aliens down while the other grey apes wailed. To the apes, the vipers probably appeared to be large, angry insects that had sprung back to life and shot their venom. Once again, the apes fled into the forest.  
"Ok, now! Lets' go!", shouted Apollo.  
"Right behind ya' buddy!", gasped Starbuck as he struggled to run with the large chest.  
Apollo, meanwhile, was dragging the primitive machine on the ground with some cables he had rigged around it. The duo put the chest inside Starbucks' undercarriage while Apollo hooked up the machine to his tow cables. The primitive computer was too large to fit inside the viper. A few centons later, Apollo and Starbuck were airborne and on their way back to the fleet.  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
"Yes, Tigh?", said Adama as he arrived on the bridge.  
"Commander, we are approaching a strange nebula the likes of which I have never seen before."  
"How's that?"  
"Well, for one thing, it wasn't there a few centars ago", exclaimed an excited Tigh.  
"Perhaps we missed it on our initial sensor scans?", offered Adama.  
Tigh simply shook his head no.  
Stepping forward, Omega said," The nebula is emitting a form of energy that our computers cannot designate, sir."  
Adama studies the printout that Omega has handed him. Omega and Tigh recognize the familiar look coming over their commanders' face. The look of deep concern mixed with the curiosity of a great explorer. Adama sighs a familiar sigh and hands the report back to Omega.  
"Launch a buoy", orders the commander.  
"Aye, aye, sir", replies Tigh as he pats Omega sternly on the arm.  
Omega receives the order loud and clear and is no sooner sitting at his station when the small probe droid is fired from the Galactica's underbelly.  
"Buoy away, commander!", reported the colonel.  
"Order all ships to dead stop!", Adama said with great authority.  
"Omega, signal all captains to slow to station keeping", said Tigh.  
"Yes, sir!"  
"Sir!", shouts Rigel. "The buoy has just disappeared from our scans. Their was a brief signal containing the probes first readings and then...nothing."  
"Anything to report on the scans, Rigel?", asked Tigh nervously.  
"Nothing, sir. Except...sir! Two strong transmission signatures from the center of the nebula!"  
Rigel exchanged a nervous but excited glance with Omega who immediately checks his own scanner.  
"Commander! Two vipers have just emerged from the nebula's dust cloud", reported Omega.  
"It's Apollo and Starbucks' patrol!", gushed Rigel as she approached the command station.  
"Thank the lords", whispered Adama.  
Tigh ,noticing that Omega was having trouble of some kind, left Adama's side and approached the bridge officers' station.  
"Something's wrong. They're not responding to my hails", said Omega.  
Adama heard Omega's remark and quickly appeared behind the bridge officers' station.  
"Life signs?", Adama asked weakly.  
"They're both alive commander but they appear to be unconscious", Omega reported to a very relieved commander Adama.  
"They also appear to have something in tow", noted Rigel.  
"Colonel, order a shuttle scout launched to intercept those vipers."  
"A shuttle scout, sir?"  
The colonel knew what a shuttle scout was of course. He just didn't understand why the commander would choose that vehicle to tow in the drifting viper fighters. Shuttle scouts were brand new to the Galactica's arsenal. Doctor Wilkers team of designers, along with Boomer, had designed the shuttle scout to do the job of both a fighter and a typical colonial shuttle. The scouts were just slightly larger than the conventional shuttle but were still significantly quicker. The scouts also had front and rear laser turrets as well as a dome on top where a human gunner could fight off enemy attacks.  
"Just as a precaution, old friend. We don't know what happened to our pilots, nor do we know what they have brought back with them. Have a score of warriors accompany the regular crew compliment", the commander said.  
"Yes, commander", replied Tigh as he rushed away to see to the launch himself.  
Adama turned away as his lifelong friend left the bridge. As he sat down, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Rigel had affectionately rubbed Omega's shoulders before returning to her station. The commander smiled, then returned his attention to his scanner screen.  
  
In Beta bay, final preparations were being completed for the scouts' launch. Tigh was furiously ordering men and women around as Boomer gathered his troops just outside the ship.  
"Ok, you guys know the drill. Those are our friends out their but we must abide by the code of search and rescue. That is, after, we are sure there is no bomb or other device being towed back to the ship", said Boomer.  
Jolly, Greenbean, Giles, and Dietra all exchanged worried and confused looks.  
"Bomb?", asked Dietra.  
"Commanders' sending us with the scout team just in case whoever or whatever knocked our two hotshots out is planning on using them as a cover to either breach our security or attack us in some way."  
"Right. Let me know how it all turns out", sneers Giles as he tries to turn and walk away. Roughly, Jolly and Greenbean pull him back into formation.  
"Knock it off, Giles. Now, lets' move!", ordered Boomer as he led the warriors into the shuttle scout.  
  
Inside the scout, everyone found their station quickly. Boomer took the pilots seat while Giles took the co-pilots seat. Greenbean manned the rear tail gun mount while Dietra stepped up the short ladder to the top turret. Meanwhile, strapping themselves into the remaining seats were a dozen warriors and two med-techs.  
"Launch!", ordered Tigh.  
Boomer heard the colonel over his headset and quickly complied as he pushed forward on the throttle. The scout roared out of the bay to the howls of a dozen support staff. This would be the first use of the scout on a real mission. Up until now, the scout had only launched for basic training maneuvers. Tigh, satisfied with the launch, stepped onto the turbo lift and pushed the ascend button.  
  
Starbucks head was pounding but he felt himself beginning to regain consciousness. As his vision cleared, he could see that he was inside his viper which was inside the Galactica's landing bay. Suddenly, he was startled by a loud and obnoxious knocking on his canopy. It was Boomer.  
"Wake up sleepy head! Thought you may have actually bought the forced nitron field this time, my friend", laughed Boomer.  
"Boom-Boom, will you cut the felgercarb and give me a hand?!", moaned a still woozy Starbuck.  
"Bucko' wants his hand held as he exits his ship?", asked Boomer as he did help Starbuck down.  
As Starbucks boots hit the landing deck, he noticed Jolly, Greenbean and Dietra laughing hysterically.  
"Glad to provide a little comic relief in your day, fellas", sneered Starbuck.  
  
Soon after he and Apollo had debriefed the commander on their discoveries, Starbuck made his way to Cassiopeia's compartment. This was to be a special night. This was the night that Starbuck would profess his love to one woman, and one woman only.  
When Cassie's door opened, Starbuck got the surprise of his life. The beautiful blonde before him was not Cassie.  
"Miri?!!!"  
"Welcome home, Starbuck", said Miri as she leapt into his unsuspecting arms.  
Miri passionately kissed Starbuck for a full centon, pressing herself against him as hard as she could. Starbuck was too dazed, not to mention aroused, to fight her off. How did she get here he thought. Miri was the young beauty Starbuck had encountered briefly on the planet Atilla. He had helped Miri and her brother Kyle rescue their father from the clutches of a renegade cylon called Spectre. Shortly thereafter, Starbuck had asked Miri and her family to join the colonial fleet in it's' search for Earth but they had declined. That was almost three quarters of a yahren ago.  
"Miri, wait", pleaded Starbuck as he pushed her away. "How did you get here?"  
"Oh, Bucky, you're such a joker!", laughed Miri as she poured herself another glass of ambrosia.  
"Bucky?", whispered Starbuck.  
She drank the ambrosia in a single swig and then poured a glass from a different bottle for Starbuck.  
"Here, Bucky. Drink up and then take off your clothes!"  
Starbuck took the glass for Miri. He looked at the glass and then at the beautiful girl in front of him. For the first time, he realized that she is exactly as he remembered her. In fact, she's wearing the exact same outfit that she wore on Atilla. Starbuck tries to think of something else, though, he does not know why. He did want to make love to her. Why shouldn't he? Wait. He had come here for a reason. Why couldn't he remember it now?  
As he turned to tell Miri that he would have to leave, Mire took off her last article of clothing and got into the bed.  
"Maybe I could stay for just one drink", he said with a wry grin.  
Starbuck guzzled the drink down so quickly, he hardly had time to realize that it was not ambrosia.  
"Wow!!! What the frak is this stuff?"  
"It's grog. Does Bucky like the groggy?", asked a teasing Miri.  
Starbuck tossed the glass over his shoulder and jumped into bed.  
  
The next morning, Starbuck woke up with a grin from ear to ear. Mire was even more enjoyable than he had fantasized she would be. He felt like he had made love to six women! He turned over to face his lover and kissed the back of her shoulder.  
"Mmmmmm. What time is it?", she said.  
"Time for another kiss on those wonderful lips", sighed Starbuck as he pulled her around to face him.  
"What a sweet thing to say, Starbuck".  
"Tenna?!!!"  
"Starbuck, what's the matter?", asked Tenna.  
"How did you get here?! Wheres' Miri?", demanded a frightened Starbuck.  
"She's in the turbo wash."  
Starbuck began to sweat profusely.  
"I gotta get out of here!", he said.  
As Starbuck turned to get out of bed, he came face to face with another Tenna.  
"Good morning, lover", said the second Tenna.  
  
Starbuck jumped out of bed and put his pants on as fast as he could. As he put his shirt on, he tried to rationalize what was happening to him.  
"Y-you...you c-can't be real!", he exclaimed.  
Of course, the Tennas' were clones from the ice planet Tairac. Although, some called the planet Arcta. Starbuck recalled meeting the blonde beauties when he along with Apollo, Boomer and a bunch of convicts were assigned by Adama to blow up the powerful Ravashol pulsar. Although they succeeded, Starbuck had been very upset that he was not going to be able to explore the experience of being with three clones of the same woman. The fleet had to move on before more cylon basestars arrived. Now, two of the clones stood before him. Before Starbuck could decide whether to run out of the room or ask more questions, the door to the washroom opened and Aurora came out followed closely by Miri.  
"You have some explaining to do, Starbuck", said Aurora.  
"Yes, Bucky. It's time for you to choose", added Miri.  
"You cannot have us all", said the Tennas.  
Starbuck turned to make his escape but he was cut off by Athena.  
"Athena!!!"  
"You're not going anywhere until you make up your mind, flyboy!"  
"You're pitiful, Starbuck. I guess I made the right choice when I sealed with Devon! You'll always be a chauvinist boray!", exclaimed Aurora.  
"You're sealed?!", asked a shocked and disappointed Starbuck.  
  
Just then, the door to the compartment slides open and Cassiopeia walks in. Starbuck wants to run to her for help but he can see by the look on her face that she is furious...with him.  
"Cassie, let me explain", pleads Starbuck.  
"Sure, go ahead. Because, when you promised me an evening I would never forget, this is not what I had in mind. I didn't even do this when I was a socialator!"  
Starbuck grins, "Cute. Listen, I don't know what all of these girls are doing here but I brought you here to ask you to marry me."  
Cassie stared at Starbuck for a long moment, surveyed the room one last time and then abruptly turned and exited the room.  
"Cassie, wait!", cried Starbuck as he tried to chase after her.  
Athena and Miri blocked his escape route and pushed him across the room and into a chair.  
"You're gonna pay for the way you've treated all of us, Starbuck!", shouted Athena.  
"Besides, what do you want with that socialator? She could never be faithful", said Aurora.  
The Tennas' added in unison," She's hiding something from you Starbuck. Something that concerns your past and your future."  
"What?!"  
Menacingly, the women approach Starbuck with the looks of crazed killers. They slam him back against his chair violently. Starbuck blacks out. He awakes to another violent rocking motion. As his vision clears, he realizes he is inside his viper cockpit and that his viper has just been fired upon. However, it isn't cylons he detects on his scanner or sees when he picks up his visual scanning. To Starbucks utter surprise, the ship that fired on him was a colonial shuttle scout.  
  
To be continued 


	2. Captive Audience

Ghosts of the Past: The Serina Interview  
  
Throughout the fleet, the people that had survived the deadliest holocaust in their species recorded time, gathered around every monitor and scanner available to them. Representatives of every Colony, color, creed and age packed viewing areas so full that it was standing room only. Anticipation was tangible on every Colonial Vessel as IFB reporter, Isabella, appeared on their screens to introduce the long lost "Serina" tapes. The "Serina" tapes were a series of interviews conducted by the legendary media celebrity from Caprica. For the first time ever, the Council of the Twelve was making the tapes available to their people. The tapes were the only smoking gun that President Adama had in proving, among other things, the existence of Kobol, and that Galactica Warriors had in fact visited the planet. It had become a popular belief in the fleet that the Kobol landing could very well have been a hoax pulled off by Commander Adama to persuade the survivors of the Colonies that seeking out Earth would not be a vain endeavor.  
  
Isabella stretched her introduction for as long as she could, building the anticipation of the event to an absolutely absurd level. "Here it is ladies and gentleman of the fleet, Serina's interview with Commander Adama, an interview that has never been viewed by anyone outside of our governing body. Remember, this interview supposedly took place over two decades ago, during this fleet's alleged orbit of the mother-world--- Kobol."  
  
Slowly, the image of Isabella faded and every IFB monitor in the fleet displayed a close up of the beautiful Serina. It was an extreme close up of the Caprican beauty, which was obviously taken in a corridor aboard Galactica. A hush fell over viewers throughout the fleet as Serina began to speak.  
  
"All right, I'm going to brave the Lupis den now", Serina said somewhat nervously to the hidden camera on her blouse. "I've secreted a pair of audio and visual recorders on my person and the Commander won't know it. This is the best time to conduct my little clandestine interview of Adama, while Galactica is holding steady while our experts scan the planet for information and a likely landing site. Commander Adama will be, I'm sure, in a contemplative mood. Everything's set. Next sound and visuals will come from within Adama's quarters."  
  
With that, Serina's camera fell off of her face. It now pointed out from below her neckline. The Colonial people now viewed Serina's perspective.  
  
Serina: May I bother you for a short while, Commander?  
  
Adama: No bother, Serina. Not when it's you. I haven't seen you since the sealing ceremony and, don't worry, I won't embarrass you with any of those unappealing remarks people make to young brides.  
  
Serina: Yes, I've heard a few choice ones. Thank you, Commander.  
  
Somewhere, deep within the bowels of the Star Liner, Rising Star, Sire Uri and his aids watched their large holo-screen intently. When Uri's face turned from mild curiosity to obvious disgust, his men's laughter and chit-chat came to a screeching halt.  
  
"This isn't over, Adama", he uttered in a mere whisper.  
  
To be continued 


End file.
